hello one of my computers experienced the BSoD and i could not get it to boot from Hard drive at all (i was partitioning it for a dual boot), i was not able to use my windows 2000 CD to repair as when it was done and restarted the computer it just gave me the BSoD, so i gave up took out the HDD and placed it in my other computer to have PM place the HDD back to normal and do a checkdsk, well i forgot that the computer was on standby and not shutdown so i just lifted the lid unpluged my CD drive and placed my HDD in it's place (i can only have to IDEs in this computer) well the computer realized a change and woke up and complained that th CD drive was not unplugged properly and blah blah blah and than recognized the HDD and i was able to use PM without restarting so i would like to know if IDE is actually hot swapable from my knowledge it is not. thx (oh and by the way i fixed the BSoD i found out that the thunderstorm i had yesterday messed with the MBR during partitioning xD).

No. Internal IDE drives are not hot swappable. You shouldn't change any internal components with current to the machine.

Life is more painless for those who are brainless.

ok that what i thought i guess it was a fluke that nothing got damaged, ill be sure to make sure its on standby and not shutdown xD

You missed the point bud. shutdown completely AND remove the power cord from the power supply. THEN you are safe to move cards/drives.

Understand that without a UPS, anyone and everyone that does defrag/partitions/disk contents updates/flash bios is taking a risk concerning power outage.

back in 286 days I scrambled my drive doing a norton defrag when the power went out.

You have been extremely lucky concerning your handling of hardware and your computer operations during a thunderstorm.

I unplug ALL electronic devices during any electrical storm. That includes TV's etc except for the refrig [beer has to stay cold - man's got to have his priorities]

Give a person a fish, they eat for a day. Suggest they internet search and they learn a skill for a lifetime.

Right as usual wanderer. K, as I said, you should always make sure there is NO current to the machine when opening the case and fiddling about in there... Perhaps you misunderstood what I said, but wanderer cleared it up.

Life is more painless for those who are brainless.

"[beer has to stay cold - man's got to have his priorities]"

YER!

I remember them scrambled 286 HDs. LOL

I remember taking 6 hours to LLF a 20MB Seagate MFM. :(

=====================================
If at first you don't succeed, you're about average.

M2

Yah and that was after you spent all that time doing the debug routine for entering the defect table.

Gee M2 we aren't getting old now are we :-)

Just think, all these certified folks most likely don't even know what we are talking about :-)

Give a person a fish, they eat for a day. Suggest they internet search and they learn a skill for a lifetime.

Well, there's certified and there's certifiable.

=====================================
If at first you don't succeed, you're about average.

M2

A lot of folks don't realise that on the ATX boxes (current format) even with the front switch "off" there are volts running around inside (PSU is active, the MoBo getting some volts...). Whereas in the older/earlier AT format boxes "off" meant "off"; there were no volts running around inside the box on the MoBo etc. (at least on my first PC)? Nonethless it was generally wiser to remove the power cord before moving things around inside the box...; or in the UK just to ensure the a/c outlet was switched off (the power-cord could be left installed as the mains would not be there...). Why aren't N.Am U-ground sockets generally made switchable...; cost?

In the days when Dell had a US based Tech-support (late 90's) I was warned (by one of their techies) about the ATX box issue... Not knowing about it (immediately prior to that friendly advice...) I almost blew a board (in a US made Dell, '98 issue...) switching a NIC in/out with the front switch "off" but the power cord still "active..." Popped the NIC out/in with volts running around... and got away with it - that occasion.

Speaking of Dell support. I went to set up a Dell a couple days ago. The owner had very wisely contacted Dell and asked what needed to be done to set up a US issue Dell in Thailand. Dell dutifully replied in detail, including the advice to get a step-down xfmr 240 to 120v. They went on to say that the frequency would not matter; correct. And that the xfmr should handle a minmum of 5 amps. Very thorough.

What they overlooked was that this model has a 120/240 switch built into the PS.

DOHHHHHH

=====================================
If at first you don't succeed, you're about average.

M2

you know i was windoering wahta you are talking about that i missed the point i ment to make sure that the computer was on shutdown not standby it was a mis type sry also i do not know why this thread is still going... ok well have fun having this bump up...

"computer was on shutdown not standby.."

You forgot "unplugged"

Give a person a fish, they eat for a day. Suggest they internet search and they learn a skill for a lifetime.